Pin headers of two piece connector systems having contact elements with posts for inserting into holes in a back panel are well known in the art as exemplified by U S. Pat. No. 4,867,690. As shown therein, the pins are staked into a molded housing with pins extending into a outwardly open cavity and posts extending outwardly from a base surface for insertion into holes in the back panel. The advantage of these type headers is their use on multi-layer panels. However, a disadvantage is that plated through holes and multi-layered panels are not always required and in some uses, may be a disadvantage.
Accordingly, it is now proposed to provide a pin header having contact elements which are surface mountable to circuits on a back panel.